Watch key winder



Aug. 22, 1 944. 2. E. HOUSE 2,356,670

WATCH KEY WINDER Filed March 2, 1943 Patented Aug. 22, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WATCH KEY WINDER Zachariah E. House, Cass Lake, Application March 2, 1943, Serial'No. 477,724.

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a device for winding watches.

An object of the invention is the provision of a device for rotating shafts that control mechanism, the winding being completed when certain of the elements of the mechanism have been placed under a definite tension with means in the device for preventing excessive torsional strain on the elements after a predetermined time.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device for winding the stems of wrist watches while said watches are located on the arm of the wearer, the device being so constructed that it may be applied readily to the head on the stem with a handle for rotating the device, the handle having a flexible shank which will permit winding of the stern and plac ing the main spring under a definite tension, but which will give after the spring has been completely wound to prevent breaking of the elements of the watch.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device for winding a shaft in which a clutch is employed for gripping the usual head, and with a flexible shank extending from the clutch in the form of a coil spring so that when the main spring of the watch has been sufficiently wound the coil spring of the handle will take up any extra tension applied to the handle for eliminating strains on the elements of the watch, while indicating to the operator that the winding has been completed, the construction being such that the main spring cannot be over-wound during the operation.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, in view of the accompany drawing forming a part of the specification; nevertheless, it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the disclosure, being susceptible of such changes and modifications as define no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a View in perspective of a watch and the stem winding device, showing the device in operative relation with the stem, with the watch applied to the wrist of the wearer.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal side view, greatly enlarged, of the stem winding device.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the device.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken along the line of 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal plan view of a modified form of the winding device adapted to be driven by an engine.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, I0 designates a handle which has a hollow sleeve II at its inner end to receive the outer end of a shank I2. The handle It! has its outer surface roughened or knurled in order to provide a sufficient gripping surface for the fingers of the operator. The inner end of the handle at the sleeve portion II is tapered as shown at I3 toward the shank [2.

The shank is in the form of a coiled spring in which the coils are closely associated in order to provide substantially a smooth surface at the exterior shank and to provide sufficient strength for normally rotating a stem IA of a watch I5.

Jaws I6 and I! are substantially identical in shape and size. Each jaw is U-shaped and consists of a pair of side flanges I8 and a bridged or bight portion I9. Flanges I8 throughout the length may be of any shape and are preferably tapered toward their inner ends to reduce the size and weight of the device. It will be noted that the flanges and bight portion of the jaw I1 are respectively numbered I8 and I9 to distinguish these elements from similar elements of the jaw I6.

A pin 20 forms a pivoted connection between the jaws I5 and I1, and this pin extends through perforations in the flanges I8 of the jaw I6 and the flanges I8 1 of the jaw I1 with heads 2! at the outer ends of the pin for maintaining the jaws in operative relation. In other words, these heads engage the outer faces of the flanges I8 of the jaw l6, since said jaw straddles the jaw I! so that the flanges It will be located outwardly of but in contact with the outer faces of the flanges I8 of the jaw H.

A spring, generally designated by the numeral 25 is formed of a piece of resilient wire. The intermediate portion of the wire is coiled as shown at 26 and surrounds the pin 2!]. One leg 21 or free end of the wire is shown in engagement with the inner face of the bight portion I9 of the jaw I6. The other leg 28 is shown in engagement with the inner wall of the bight portion l9 of the jaw I'I. Since these legs are under tension and tend to move outwardly they will always move the inner portions of the jaws I6 and I1 outwardly from each other and away from the shank I2. Thus it will be seen that the clutch elements 30 and 3| on the respective members l6 and I! will always be moved toward each other and in a position to grip an object with the object being confined between the pair of clutch elements.

A plate 32 is soldered or welded to the inner end of the shank l2. This plate may be curved as shown in Fig. 4 to conform to the curvature of the coiled portion 26 of the spring or the plate may be straight. This plate is then welded to the inner portion of the coil 26 of the spring 25. Any suitable and well known method may be employed for securing the plate 32 to the coil 26.

It will be noted that the clutch elements and 3| are specially constructed in order to properly grip an object such as the head 35 on the stem I4 of the watch l5. For this particular purpose the clutch elements have thickened portions and these portions are cut away or curved as shown at 36 to provide neat seating or receiving surfaces for the head 35. Naturally, the inner opposed faces of the clutch members 3!] and 31 are curved as shown at 31 with ribs 38 formed inwardly of the outer ends of the clutch members in order to provide stops to limit the inward movement of the head 35 or other element which is to be rotated. The ribs 38 are curved and they cooperate with the curved surface 31 to form curved elements for securely holding the head 35 or other object.

While a watch has been shown with the device applied thereto, nevertheless said device may be used for rotating other elements as may be desired.

When it is desired to rotate the stem of a watch or other type of shaft the inner ends of the members l6 and I! are pressed toward each other in order to move the clutch elements 30 and 3| away from each other to provide a sufiicient opening to receive the element to be gripped, such as the head 35 of the stem Hi. When the head has been received by the clutch elements with the head abutting the ribs 38, the pressure on the inner ends of the members I 6 and I1 is released so that the clutch elements will then move inwardly and grip the head 35. The device is now in position for winding the stem and this is done by rotating the handle H]. ,Since the shaft I2 is in the form'of a tightly wound coiled spring the stem may be revolved without causing any undue torsional strain on the spring. However, after the spring of the watch is substantially wound and greater strain is placed on the coiled spring the operator will readily detect a reaction of the spring, and will know definitely that the main spring of the watch has been wound sufficiently. The members I6 and l! are then pressed toward each other at their inner ends to release the head 35.

'of a tightly coiled spring While this construction shown is adapted to wind the stem of a wrist watch, it may be employed for rotating other elements of a similar nature, although in the particular illustration in Fig. 1 it will be seen that the device may be more conveniently employed for rotating the stem of the watch because of the small size of the wrist watch, and the difficulty of the. operator gripping the head 35.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modified form of the invention which is adapted to be driven by a motor. In this form the rod 50 forms a rigid portion of the flexible shaft 5|, and is adapted to be received 'by a clutch attached to a motor for rotating the shaft. I

The shaft is formed of a coil spring which is tightly wound and is secured at one end to the rod 50, while the other end is secured to a rigid portion 52, which has a collar 53 at its inner end.

A hand grip 54 is rotatably mounted on the portion 52 and is adapted to be held by the operator so that the member 54 will be maintained stationary while the shaft is rotating. The exterior of the hand grip may be knurled in the usual manner. Bearings of any suitable type may be employed between the portion 52 of the shaft and the hand grip 54.

The cup-shaped member 55 is rigidly secured to the outer end of the portion 52 of the shaft. The cup-shaped member neatly receives a rubber sleeve 56, which is flared at 5! at its outer end or the outer end 58 of the passage 59 in the sleeve is also flared to receive the head of the stem of the watch.

The operation of this device is as follows.

The rod 50 is gripped by a suitable instrument on a motor so that when the motor is set in motion the shaft 5| and likewise the portion 52 will also be revolved as will be the member 56. The operator at this time will grip the member 54. A rubber head 56 will then be moved against the head of the stem of the watch, and the same will be Wound. The flexible shaft 5| will prevent over-winding of the watch.

I claim:

A device for winding a watch, comprising a pair of jaws, a pin pivotally connecting the jaws together, a spring having an intermediate portion coiled around the pin with the ends of said spring pressing gainst the jaws to maintain said jaws in operative relation, a plate curved around a part of the coiled portion of the spring, located between the inner ends of the jaws and secured to the coiled :portion, a handle, a shank formed having one end mounted in the handle, the other end of the shank being rigidly secured to the curved plate.

ZACHARIAH E. HOUSE. 

